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COPYRIGHT OFFICE. 


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as a preliminary to copyright protec- 
tion has been found. 


Forwarded to Order Division — MAY.,?-.?-)-—? — 

(Date) 

(Apr. 5, 1901—5,000.) 




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THE AIR-FISH SWAM STRAIGHT TO THE POT 









THE 

CDLDEN ■ KEY- 

BY 

GEORGE MACDONALD 



NEW YORK 

THOMAS Y. CROWELL & CS 

PUBLISnEKS 


Copyright, 1906, 

By THOMAS Y. CROWELL & CO. 

f^ac©iv>tJ from 
Copyright Office. 


THE GOLDEN KEY 


rriHERE was a boy who used to sit in the 
twilight and listen to his great-aunt’s 
stories. 

She told him that if he could reach the 
place where the end of the rainbow stands 
he would find there a golden key. 

^^And what is the key for?” the boy 
would ask. What is it the key of ? What 
will it open?” 

That nobody knows,” his aunt would 
reply. He has to find that out.” 

suppose, being gold,” the boy once 
said, thoughtfully, that I could get a 'good 
deal of money for it if I sold it.” 

Better never find it than sell it,” re- 
turned his aunt. 

And then the boy went to bed and 
dreamed about the golden key. 


2 


THE GOLDEN KEY 


Now all that his great-aunt told the boy 
about the golden key would have been non- 
sense, had it not been that their little house 
stood on the borders of Fairyland. For it 
is perfectly well known that out of Fairy- 
land nobody ever can find where the rain- 
bow stands. The creature takes such good 
care of its golden key, always flitting from 
place to place, lest any one should find it ! 
But in Fairyland it is quite different. 
Things that look real in this country look 
very thin indeed in Fairyland, while some 
of the things that here cannot stand still for 
a moment, will not move there. So it was 
not in the least absurd of the old lady to tell 
her nephew such things about the golden 
key. 

Did you ever know anybody find it ? ” 
he asked, one evening. 

Yes. Your father, I believe, found it.’’ 

‘^And what did he do with it, can you 
tell me ? ” 


^^He never told me.” 


THE GOLDEN KEY 


3 


What was it like?” 

“ He never showed it to me.” 

How does a new key come there al- 
ways ? ” 

I don’t know. There it is. ” 

Perhaps it is the rainbow’s egg.” 

Perhaps it is. You will be a happy boy 
if you find the nest.” 

Perhaps it comes tumbling down the 
rainbow from the sky.” 

Perhaps it does.” 

One evening, in summer, he went into his 
own room, and stood at the lattice-window, 
and gazed into the forest which fringed the 
outskirts of Fairyland. It came close up 
to his great-aunt’s garden, and, indeed, sent 
some straggling trees into it. The forest 
lay to the east, and the sun, which was set- 
ting behind the cottage, looked straight 
into the dark wood with his level red eye. 
The trees were all old, and had few branches 
below, so that the sun could see a great 
way into the forest; and the boy, being 


4 


THE GOLDEN KEY 


keen-sighted, could see almost as far as the 
sun. The trunks stood like rows of red col- 
umns in the shine of the red sun, and he 
could see down aisle after aisle in the van- 
ishing distance. And as he gazed into the 
forest he began to feel as if the trees were 
all waiting for him, and had something they 
could not go on with till he came to them. 
But he was hungry, and wanted his supper. 
So he lingered. 

Suddenly, far among the trees, as far as 
the sun could shine, he saw a glorious thing. 
It was the end of a rainbow, large and bril- 
liant. He could count all the seven colours, 
and could see shade after shade beyond the 
violet ; while before the red stood a colour 
more gorgeous and mysterious still. It was 
a colour he had never seen before. Only 
the spring of the rainbow-arch was visible. 
He could see nothing of it above the trees. 

The golden key ! ” he said to himself, 
and darted out of the house, and into the 
wood. 


THE GOLDEN KEY 


5 


He had not gone far before the sun set. 
But the rainbow only glowed the brighter. 
For the rainbow of Fairyland is not de- 
pendent upon the sun, as ours is. The 
trees welcomed him. The bushes made 
way for him. The rainbow grew larger 
and brighter ; and at length he found him- 
self within two trees of it. 

It was a grand sight, burning away there 
in silence, with its gorgeous, its lovely, its 
delicate colours, each distinct, all combin- 
ing. He could now see a great deal more 
of it. It rose high into the blue heavens, 
but bent so little that he could not tell how 
high the crown of the arch must reach. It 
was still only a small portion of a huge 
bow. 

He stood gazing at it till he forget him- 
self with delight — even forgot the key 
which he had come to seek. And as he 
stood it grew more wonderful still. For in 
each of the colours, which was as large as 
the column of a church, he could faintly see 


6 


THE GOLDEN KEY 


beautiful forms slowly ascending as if by 
the steps of a winding stair. The forms ap- 
peared irregularly — now one, now many, 
now several, now none — men and women 
and children — all different, all beautiful. 

He drew nearer to the rainbow. It van- 
ished. He started back a step in dismay. 
It was there again, as beautiful as ever. 
So he contented himself with standing as 
near it as he might, and watching the forms 
that ascended the glorious colours towards 
the unknown height of the arch, which did 
not end abruptly, but faded away in the 
blue air, so gradually that he could not say 
where it ceased. 

When the thought of the golden key re- 
turned, the boy very wisely proceeded to 
mark out in his mind the space covered by 
the foundation of the rainbow, in order that 
he might know where to search, should the 
rainbow disappear. It was based chiefly 
upon a bed of moss. 

Meantime it had grown quite dark in the 


THE GOLDEN KEY 


7 


wood. The rainbow alone was visible by 
its own light. But the moment the moon 
rose the rainbow vanished. Nor could any 
change of place restore the vision to the 
boy's eyes. So he threw himself down 
upon the mossy bed, to wait till the sun- 
light would give him a chance of finding 
the key. There he fell fast asleep. 

When he woke in the morning the sun 
was looking straight into his eyes. He 
turned away from it, and the same moment 
saw a brilliant little thing lying on the moss 
within a foot of his face. It was the golden 
key. The pipe of it was of plain gold, as 
bright as gold could be. The handle was 
curiously wrought and set with sapphires. 
In a terror of delight he put out his hand 
and took it, and had it. 

He lay for a while, turning it over and 
over, and feeding his eyes upon its beauty. 
Then he jumped to his feet, remembering 
that the pretty thing was of no use to him 
yet. Where was the lock to which the key 


8 


THE GOLDEN KEY 


belonged ? It must be somewhere, for how 
could anybody be so silly as make a key for 
which there was no lock? Where should 
he go to look for it ? He gazed about him, 
up into the air, down to the earth, but saw 
no keyhole in the clouds, in the grass, or 
in the trees. 

Just as he began to grow disconsolate, 
however, he saw something glimmering in 
the wood. It was a mere glimmer that he 
saw, but he took it for a glimmer of rain- 
bow, and went towards it. — And now I will 
go back to the borders of the forest. 

Not far from the house where the boy 
had lived, there was another house, the 
owner of which was a merchant, who was 
much away from home. He had lost his 
wife some years before, and had only one 
child, a little girl, whom he left to the 
charge of two servants, who were very idle 
and careless. So she was neglected and left 
untidy, and was sometimes ill-used besides. 

Now it is well known that the little crea- 


THE GOLDEN KEY 


9 


tures commonly called fairies^ though there 
are many different kinds of fairies in Fairy- 
land, have an exceeding dislike to untidi- 
ness. Indeed, they are quite spiteful to 
slovenly people. Being used to all the 
lovely ways of the trees and flowers, and to 
the neatness of the birds and all woodland 
creatures, it makes them feel miserable, 
even in their deep woods and on their 
grassy carpets, to think that within the 
same moonlight lies a dirty, uncomfortable, 
slovenly house. And this makes them 
angry with the people that live in it, and 
they would gladly drive them out of the 
world if they could. They want the whole 
earth nice and clean. So they pinch the 
maids black and blue, and play them all 
manner of uncomfortable tricks. 

But this house was quite a shame, and 
the fairies in the forest could not endure 
it. They tried everything on the maids 
without effect, and at last resolved upon 
making a clean riddance, beginning with 


10 


THE GOLDEN KEY 


the child. They ought to have known 
that it was not her fault, but they have 
little principle and much mischief in them, 
and they thought that if they got rid 
of her the maids would be sure to be 
turned away. 

So one evening, the poor little girl hav- 
ing been put to bed early, before the sun 
was down, the servants went off to the 
village, locking the door behind them. 
The child did not know she was alone, 
and lay contentedly looking out of her 
window towards the forest of which, how- 
ever, she could not see much, because of 
the ivy and other creeping plants which 
had straggled across her window. All 
at once she saw an ape making faces at 
her out of the mirror, and the heads 
carved upon a great old wardrobe grinning 
fearfully. Then two old spider-legged 
chairs came forward into the middle of the 
room, and began to dance a queer, old- 
fashioned dance. This set her laughing. 


THE GOLDEN KEY 


11 


and she forgot the ape and the grinning 
heads. So the fairies saw they had made a 
mistake, and sent the chairs back to their 
places. But they knew that she had been 
reading the story of Silverhair all day. So 
the next moment she heard the voices of 
the three bears upon the stairs, big voice, 
middle voice, and little voice, and she 
heard their soft, heavy tread, as if they 
had stockings over their boots, coming 
nearer and nearer to the door of her room, 
till she could bear it no longer. She 
did just as Silverhair did, and as the fairies 
wanted her to do : she darted to the 
window, pulled it open, got upon the ivy, 
and so scrambled to the ground. She 
then fled to the forest as fast as she could 
run. 

Now, although she did not know it, this 
was the very best way she could have 
gone; for nothing is ever so mischievous 
in its own place as it is out of it ; and, be- 
sides, these mischievous creatures were 


12 


THE GOLDEN KEY 


only the children of Fairyland, as it were, 
and there are many other beings there as 
well; and if a wanderer gets in among them, 
the good ones will always help him more 
than the evil ones will be able to hurt 
him. 

The sun was now set, and the darkness 
coming on, but the child thought of no 
danger but the bears behind her. If she 
had looked around, however, she would 
have seen that she was followed by a very 
different creature from a bear. It was a 
curious creature, made like a fish, but cov- 
ered, instead of scales, with feathers of all 
colours, sparkling like those of a humming 
bird. It had fins, not wings, and swam 
through the air as a fish does through the 
water. Its head was like the head of 
a small owl. 

After running a long way, and as the last 
of the light was disappearing, she passed 
under a tree with drooping branches. It 
dropped its branches to the ground all about 


THE GOLDEN KEY 


13 


her, and caught her as in a trap. She 
struggled to get out, but the branches 
pressed her closer and closer to the trunk. 
She was in great terror and distress, when 
the air-fish, swimming into the thicket of 
branches, began tearing them with its 
beak. They loosened their hold at once, 
and the creature went on attacking them, 
till at length they let the child go. Then 
the air-fish came from behind her, and 
swam on in front, glittering and spark- 
ling all lovely colours ; and she followed. 

It led her gently along till all at once it 
swam in at a cottage-door. The child 
followed still. There was a bright fire in 
the middle of the floor, upon which stood a 
pot without a lid, full of water that boiled 
and bubbled furiously. The air-fish swam 
straight to the pot and into the boiling 
water, where it lay quiet. A beautiful 
woman rose from the opposite side of the 
fire and came to meet the girl. She took 
her up in her arms, and said, — 


14 


THE GOLDEN KEY 


Ah, you are come at last ! I have been 
looking for you a long time/' 

She sat down with her on her lap, and 
there the girl sat staring at her. She had 
never seen anything so beautiful. She was 
tall and strong, with white arms and neck, 
and a delicate flush on her face. The child 
could not tell what was the colour of her 
hair, but could not help thinking it had a 
tinge of dark green. She had not one or- 
nament upon her, but she looked as if she 
had just put off quantities of diamonds and 
emeralds. Yet here she was in the sim- 
plest, poorest little cottage, where she was 
evidently at home. She was dressed in 
shining green. 

The girl looked at the lady, and the lady 
looked at the girl. 

‘‘ What is your name ? " asked the lady. 

The servants always call me Tangle." 

Ah, that was because your hair was so 
untidy. But that was their fault, the 
naughty women 1 Still it is a pretty name, 


THE GOLDEN KEY 


15 


and 1 will call you Tangle too. You must 
not mind my asking you questions, for you 
may ask me the same questions, every one 
of them, and any others that you like. 
How old are you?” 

Ten,” answered Tangle. 

You don’t look like it,” said the lady. 
‘^How old are you, please?” returned 
Tangle. 

Thousands of years old,” answered the 
lady. 

You don’t look like it,” said Tangle. 

Don’t I ? I think I do. Don’t you see 
how beautiful I am ? ” 

And her great blue eyes looked down on 
the little Tangle, as if all the stars in the 
sky were melted in them to make their 
brightness. 

Ah ! but,” said Tangle, when people 
live long they grow old. At least I always 
thought so.” 

have no time to grow old,” said the 
lady. I am too busy for that. It is very 


16 


THE GOLDEN KEY 


idle to grow old. — But I cannot have 
my little girl so untidy. Do you know I 
can’t find a clean spot on your face to 
kiss?” 

Perhaps,” suggested Tangle, feeling 
ashamed, but not too much so to say a word 
for herself — perhaps that is because the 
tree made me cry so.” 

My poor darling ! ” said the lady, look- 
ing now as if the moon were melted in her 
eyes, and kissing her little face, dirty as it 
was, ^Hhe naughty tree must suffer for 
making a girl cry.” 

And what is your name, please ? ” 
asked Tangle. 

^^Grandmother,” answered the lady. 

Is it really ? ” 

Yes, indeed. I never tell stories, even 
in fun.” 

How good of you ! ” 
couldn’t if I tried. It would come 
true if I said it, and then I should be pun- 
ished enough.” 


THE GOLDEN KEY 


17 


And she smiled like the sun through a 
summer-shower. 

But now,” she went on, I must get 
you washed and dressed, and then we shall 
have some supper.” 

Oh 1 I had supper long ago,” said 
Tangle. 

‘^Yes, indeed you had,” answered the 
lady — three years ago. You don’t know 
that it is three years since you ran away 
from the bears. You are thirteen and 
more now.” 

Tangle could only stare. She felt quite 
sure it was true. 

^^You will not be afraid of anything I 
do with you — will you ? ” said the lady. 

I will try very hard not to be ; but I 
can’t be certain, you know,” replied Tangle. 

like your saying so, and I shall be 
quite satisfied,” answered the lady. 

She took off the girl’s night-gown, rose 
with her in her arms, and going to the wall 
of the cottage, opened a door. Then Tan- 
B 


18 


THE GOLDEN KEY 


gle saw a deep tank, the sides of which 
were filled with green plants, which had 
fiowers of all colours. There was a roof 
over it like the roof of the cottage. It was 
filled with beautiful clear water, in which 
swam a multitude of such fishes as the one 
that had led her to the cottage. It was the 
light their colours gave that showed the 
place in which they were. 

The lady spoke some words Tangle could 
not understand, and threw her into the 
tank. 

The fishes came crowding about her. 
Two or three of them got under her head 
and kept it up. The rest of them rubbed 
themselves all over her, and with their wet 
feathers washed her quite clean. Then the 
lady, who had been looking on all the time, 
spoke again; whereupon some thirty or 
forty of the fishes rose out of the water 
underneath Tangle, and so bore her up to 
the arms the lady held out to take her. 
She carried her back to the fire, and, hav- 


THE GOLDEN KEY 


19 


ing dried her well, opened a chest, and tak- 
ing out the finest linen garments, smelling 
of grass and lavender, put them upon her, 
and over all a green dress, just like her 
own, shining like hers, and soft like hers, 
and going into just such lovely folds from 
the waist, where it was tied with a brown 
cord, to her bare feet. 

Won’t you give me a pair of shoes too, 
grandmother ? ” said Tangle. 

No, my dear ; no shoes. Look here. 
I wear no shoes.” 

So saying, she lifted her dress a little, 
and there were the loveliest white feet, but 
no shoes. Then Tangle was content to go 
without shoes too. And the lady sat down 
with her again, and combed her hair, and 
brushed it, and then left it to dry while she 
got the supper. 

First she got bread out of one hole in the 
wall ; then milk out of another ; then sev- 
eral kinds of fruit out of a third ; and then 
she went to the pot on the fire, and took 


20 


THE GOLDEN KEY 


out the fish now nicely cooked, and, as soon 
as she had pulled off its feathered skin, 
ready to be eaten. 

But,” exclaimed Tangle. And she 
stared at the fish, and could say no more. 

^‘1 know what you mean,” returned the 
lady. You do not like to eat the messen- 
ger that brought you home. But it is the 
kindest return you can make. The crea- 
ture was afraid to go, until it saw me put 
the pot on, and heard me promise it should 
be boiled the moment it returned with you. 
Then it darted out of the door at once. 
You saw it go into the pot of itself the mo- 
ment it entered, did you not ? ” 

I did,” answered Tangle, and I thought 
it very strange ; but then I saw you, and 
forgot all about the fish.” 

^‘In Fairyland,” resumed the lady, as they 
sat down to the table, ^Uhe ambition of 
the animals is to be eaten by the people ; for 
that is their highest end in that condition. 
But they are not therefore destroyed. Out 


THE GOLDEN KEY 


21 


of that pot comes something more than the 
dead fish, you will see.” 

Tangle now remarked that the lid was 
on the pot. But the lady took no further 
notice of it till they had eaten the fish, 
which Tangle found nicer than any fish 
she had ever tasted before. It was white 
as snow, and as delicate as cream. And 
the moment she had swallowed a mouthful 
of it, a change she could not describe be- 
gan to take place in her. She heard a 
murmuring all about her, which became 
more and more articulate, and at length, 
as she went on eating, grew intelligible. 
By the time she had finished her share, 
the sounds of all the animals in the forest 
came crowding through the door to her 
ears; for the door still stood wide open, 
though it was pitch dark outside ; and 
they were no longer sounds only ; they 
w^ere speech, and speech that she could 
understand. She could tell what the in- 
sects in the cottage were saying to each 


22 


THE GOLDEN KEY 


other too. She had even a suspicion that 
the trees and flowers all about the cottage 
were holding midnight communications 
with each other ; but what they said she 
could not hear. 

As soon as the fish was eaten, the lady 
went to the fire and took the lid off the 
pot. A lovely little creature in human 
shape, with large white wings, rose out of 
it, and flew round and round the roof of 
the cottage ; then dropped, fluttering, and 
nestled in the lap of the lady. She spoke 
to it some strange words, carried it to the 
door, and threw it out into the darkness. 
Tangle heard the flapping of its wings die 
away in the distance. 

Now have we done the fish any harm? ’’ 
she said, returning. 

No,’’ ansAvered Tangle, I do not 
think we have. I should not mind eating 
one every day.” 

They must wait their time, like you 
and me too, my little Tangle.” 


THE GOLDEN KEY 


23 


And she smiled a smile which the sad- 
ness in it made more lovely. 

But/’ she continued, I think we may 
have one for supper to-morrow.” 

So saying she went to the door of the 
tank, and spoke ; and now Tangle under- 
stood her perfectly. 

I want one of you,” she said, — the 
wisest.” 

Thereupon the fishes got together in 
the middle of the tank, with their heads 
forming a circle above the water, and 
their tails a larger circle beneath it. 
They were holding a council, in which 
their relative wisdom should be deter- 
mined. At length one of them flew up 
into the lady’s hand, looking lively and 
ready. 

You know where the rainbow stands ? ” 
she asked. 

Yes, mother, quite well,” answered 
the fish. 

Bring home a young man you will 


24 


THE GOLDEN KEY 


find there, who does not know where to 

gor 

The fish was out of the door in a moment. 
Then the lady told Tangle it was time to go 
to bed ; and, opening another door in the 
side of the cottage, showed her a little ar- 
bour, cool and green, with a bed of purple 
heath growing in it, upon which she threw 
a large wrapper made of the feathered 
skins of the wise fishes, shining gorgeous 
in the firelight. Tangle was soon lost in the 
strangest, loveliest dreams. And the beau- 
tiful lady was in every one of her dreams. 

In the morning she woke to the rustling 
of leaves over her head, and the sound of 
running water. But, to her surprise, she 
could find no door — nothing but the moss- 
grown wall of the cottage. So she crept 
through an opening in the arbour, and 
stood in the forest. Then she bathed in a 
stream that ran merrily through the trees, 
and felt happier ; for having once been in 
her grandmother’s pond, she must be clean 


THE GOLDEN KEY 


25 


and tidy ever after; and, having pnt on 
her green dress, felt like a lady. 

She spent that day in the wood, listening 
to the birds and beasts and creeping things. 
She understood all that they said, though 
she could not repeat a word of it ; and 
every kind had a different language, while 
there was a common though more limited 
understanding between all the inhabitants 
of the forest. She saw nothing of the 
beautiful lady, but she felt that she was 
near her all the time ; and she took care 
not to go out of sight of the cottage. It 
was round, like a snow-hut or a wigwam ; 
and she could see neither door nor window 
in it. The fact was, it had no windows ; 
and though it was full of doors, they all 
opened from the inside, and could not even 
be seen from the outside. 

She was standing at the foot of a tree in 
the twilight, listening to a quarrel between 
a mole and a squirrel, in which the mole told 
the squirrel that the tail was the best of him, 


26 


THE GOLDEN KEY 


and the squirrel called the mole Spade-fists, 
when, the darkness having deepened 
around her, she became aware of something 
shining in her face, and looking round, saw 
that the door of the cottage was open, and 
the red light of the fire flowing from it like 
a river through the darkness. She left 
Mole and Squirrel to settle matters as they 
might, and darted off to the cottage. En- 
tering, she found the pot boiling on the fire, 
and the grand, lovely lady sitting on the 
other side of it. 

‘‘I’ve been watching you all day,” said 
the lady. “You shall have something to 
eat by-and-by, but we must wait till our 
supper comes home.” 

She took Tangle on her knee, and began 
to sing to her — such songs as made her 
wish she could listen to them forever. But 
at length in rushed the shining fish, and 
snuggled down in the pot. It was followed 
by a youth who had outgrown his worn 
garments. His face was ruddy with health, 


THE GOLDEN KEY 


27 


and in his hand he carried a little jewel, 
which sparkled in the firelight. 

The first words the lady said were, — 

What is that in your hand. Mossy ? ” 

Now Mossy was the name his com- 
panions had given him, because he had a 
favorite stone covered with moss, on which 
he used to sit whole days reading ; and 
they said the moss had begun to grow 
upon him too. 

Mossy held out his hand. The moment 
the lady saw that it was the golden key, she 
rose from her chair, kissed Mossy on the 
forehead, made him sit down on her seat, 
and stood before him like a servant. Mossy 
could not bear this, and rose at once. But 
the lady begged him, with tears in her beau- 
tiful eyes, to sit, and let her wait on him. 

But you are a great, splendid, beautiful 
lady,” said Mossy. 

Yes, I am. But I work all day long — 
that is my pleasure ; and you will have to 
leave me so soon ! ” 


28 


THE GOLDEN KEY 


How do you know that, if you please, 
madam ? ” asked Mossy. 

Because you have got the golden key.” 

But I don’t know what it is for. I 
can’t find the keyhole. Will you tell me 
what to do ? ” 

‘^You must look for the keyhole. That 
is your work. I cannot help you. I can 
only tell you that if you look for it you 
will find it.” 

What kind of box will it open ? What 
is there inside ? ” 

I do not know. I dream about it, but 
I know nothing.” 

Must I go at once ? ” 

^^You may stop here to-night, and have 
some of my supper. But you must go in 
the morning. All I can do for you is to 
give you clothes. Here is a girl called 
Tangle, whom you must take with you.” 

That will be nice,” said Mossy. 

No, no ! ” said Tangle. I don’t want 
to leave you, please, grandmother.” 


THE GOLDEN KEY 


29 


You must go with him, Tangle. I am 
sorry to lose you, but it will be the best 
thing for you. Even the fishes, you see, 
have to go into the pot, and then out into 
the dark. If you fall in with the Old 
Man of the Sea, mind you ask him whether 
he has not got some more fishes ready for 
me. My tank is getting thin.” 

So saying, she took the fish from the 
pot, and put the lid on as before. They 
sat down and ate the fish, and then the 
winged creature rose from the pot, circled 
the roof, and settled on the lady’s lap. 
She talked to it, carried it to the door, 
and threw it out into the dark. They 
heard the flap of its wings die away in the 
distance. 

The lady then showed Mossy into just 
such another chamber as that of Tangle ; 
and in the morning he found a suit of 
clothes laid beside him. He looked very 
handsome in them. But the wearer of 
Grandmother’s clothes never thinks about 


30 


THE GOLDEN KEY 


how he or she looks, but thinks always 
how handsome other people are. 

Tangle was very unwilling to go. 

^^Why should I leave you? I don’t 
know the young man,” she said to the 
lady. 

I am never allowed to keep my chil- 
dren long. You need not go with him ex- 
cept you please, but you must go some 
day ; and I should like you to go with 
him, for he has the golden key. No girl 
need be afraid to go with a youth that has 
the golden key. You will take care of 
her. Mossy, will you not ? ” 

“ That I will,” said Mossy. 

And Tangle cast a glance at him, and 
thought she should like to go with him. 

And,” said the lady, if you should 
lose each other as you go through the — 
the — never can remember the name of 
that country, — do not be afraid, but go on 
and on.” 

She kissed Tangle on the mouth and 


THE GOLDEN KEY 


31 


Mossy on the forehead, led them to the 
door, and waved her hand eastward. Mossy 
and Tangle took each other’s hand and 
walked away into the depth of the forest. 
In his right hand Mossy held the golden 
key. 

They wandered thus a long way, with 
endless amusement from the talk of the 
animals. They soon learned enough of 
their language to ask them necessary 
questions. The squirrels were always 
friendly, and gave them nuts out of their 
own hoards ; but the bees were selfish and 
rude, justifying themselves on the ground 
that Tangle and Mossy were not subjects 
of their queen, and charity must begin at 
home, though indeed they had not one 
drone in their poorhouse at the time. 
Even the blinking moles would fetch them 
an earth-nut or a truffle now and then, 
talking as if their mouths, as well as their 
eyes and ears, were full of cotton wool or 
their own velvety fur. By the time they 


32 


THE GOLDEN KEY 


got out of the forest they were very 
fond of each other, and Tangle was not in 
the least sorry that her grandmother had 
sent her away with Mossy. 

At length the trees grew smaller, and 
stood farther apart, and the ground began 
to rise, and it got more and more steep, 
till the trees were all left behind, and the 
two were climbing a narrow path with 
rocks on each side. Suddenly they came 
upon a rude doorway, by which tliej^ entered 
a narrow gallery cut in the rock. It grew 
darker and darker, till it was pitch-dark, 
and they had to feel their way. 

At length the light began to return, and 
at last they came out upon a narrow path 
on the face of a lofty precipice. This path 
went winding down the rock to a wide plain, 
circular in shape, and surrounded on all sides 
by mountains. Those opposite to them 
were a great way off, and towered to an 
awful height, shooting up sharp, blue, ice- 
enamelled pinnacles. An utter silence 


THE GOLDEN KEY 


33 


reigned where they stood. Not even the 
sound of water reached them. 

Looking down, they could not tell whether 
the valley below was a grassy plain or a great 
still lake. They had never seen any space 
look like it. The way to it was difficult and 
dangerous, but down the narrow path they 
went, and reached the bottom in safety. 
They found it composed of smooth, light- 
coloured sandstone, undulating in parts, but 
mostly level. It was no wonder to them now 
that they had not been able to tell what 
it was, for this surface was everywhere 
crowded with shadows. It was a sea of 
shadows. The mass was chiefly made up of 
the shadows of leaves innumerable, of all 
lovely and imaginative forms, waving to and 
fro, floating and quivering in the breath of 
a breeze whose motion was unfelt, whose 
sound was unheard. No forests clothed the 
mountain-sides, no trees were anywhere to 
be seen, and yet the shadows of the leaves, 
branches, and stems of all various trees 
c 


34 


THE GOLDEN KEY 


covered the valley as far as their eyes could 
reach. They soon spied the shadows of 
flowers mingled with those of the leaves, 
and now and then the shadow of a bird with 
open beak, and throat distended with song. 
At times would appear the forms of strange, 
graceful creatures, running up and down 
the shadow-boles and along the branches, to 
disappear in the wind-tossed foliage. As 
they walked they waded knee-deep in the 
lovely lake. For the shadows were not 
merely lying on the surface of the ground, 
but heaped up above it like substantial 
forms of darkness, as if they had been cast 
upon a thousand different planes of the air. 
Tangle and Mossy often lifted their heads 
and gazed upwards to descry whence the 
shadows came; but they could see nothing 
more than a bright mist spread above them, 
higher than the tops of the mountains, 
which stood clear against it. No forests, 
no leaves, no birds were visible. 

After a while, they reached more open 


THE GOLDEN KEY 


35 


spaces, where the shadows were thinner ; 
and came even to portions over which 
shadows only flitted, leaving them clear for 
such as might follow. Now a wonderful 
form, half bird-like half human, would float 
across on outspread sailing pinions. Anon 
an exquisite shadow group of gambolling 
children would be followed by the loveliest 
female form, and that again by the grand 
stride of a Titanic shade, each disappearing 
in the surrounding press of shadowy foliage. 
Sometimes a profile of unspeakable beauty 
or grandeur would appear for a moment and 
vanish. Sometimes they seemed lovers 
that passed linked arm in arm, sometimes 
father and son, sometimes brothers in lov- 
ing contest, sometimes sisters entwined in 
gracefullest community of complex form. 
Sometimes wild horses would tear across, 
free, or bestrode by noble shadows of rul- 
ing men. But some of the things which 
pleased them most they never knew how to 
describe. 


36 


THE GOLDEN KEY 


About the middle of the plain they sat 
down to rest in the heart of a heap of shad- 
ows. After sitting for a while, each, look- 
ing up, saw the other in tears : they were 
each longing after the country whence the 
shadows fell. 

We must find the country from which 
the shadows come,” said Mossy. 

We must, dear Mossy,” responded 
Tangle. What if your golden key should 
be the key to it? 

Ah ! that would be grand,” returned 
Mossy. — But we must rest here for a 
little, and then we shall be able to cross 
the plain before night.” 

So he lay down on the ground, and about 
him on every side, and over his head, was 
the constant play of wonderful shadows. 
He could look through them, and see the 
one behind the other, till they mixed in a 
mass of darkness. Tangle, too, lay admir- 
ing, and wondering, and longing for the 
country whence the shadows came. When 


THE GOLDEN KEY 


37 


they were rested they rose and pursued 
their journey. 

How long they were in crossing this 
plain I cannot tell ; but before night 
Mossy's hair was streaked with gray, and 
Tangle had got wrinkles on her forehead. 

As the evening drew on, the shadows 
fell deeper and rose higher. At length 
they reached a place where they rose 
above their heads, and made all dark 
around them. Then they took hold . of 
each other's hand, and walked on in silence 
and in some dismay. They felt the gath- 
ering darkness, and something strangely 
solemn besides, and the beauty of the shad- 
ows ceased to delight them. All at once 
Tangle found that she had not a hold of 
Mossy's hand, though when she lost it she 
could not tell. 

Mossy, Mossy ! " she cried aloud in 
terror. 

But no Mossy replied. 

A moment after, the shadows sank to 


38 


THE GOLDEN KEY 


her feet, and down under her feet, and the 
mountains rose before her. She turned 
towards the gloomy"^ region she had left, 
and called once more upon Mossy. There 
the gloom lay tossing and heaving, a dark, 
stormy, foamless sea of shadows, but no 
Mossy rose out of it, or came climbing up 
the hill on which she stood. She threw 
herself down and wept in despair. 

Suddenly she remembered that the beau- 
tiful lady had told them, if they lost each 
other in a country of which she could not 
remember the name, they were not to be 
afraid, but to go straight on. 

‘‘ And besides,” she said to herself, 
‘‘ Mossy has the golden key, and so no 
harm will come to him, I do believe.” 

She rose from the ground, and went on. 

Before long she arrived at a precipice, in 
the face of which a stair was cut. When 
she had ascended half-way, the stair ceased, 
and the path led straight into the mountain. 
She was afraid to enter, and turning again 


THE GOLDEN KEY 


39 


towards the stair, grew giddy at sight of 
the depth beneath her, and was forced to 
throw herself down in the mouth of the 
cave. 

When she opened her eyes, she saw a 
beautiful little creature with wings standing 
beside her, waiting. 

I know you, ” said Tangle. You are 
my fish.’' 

Yes. But I am a fish no longer. I am 
an aeranth now.” 

^^What is that?” asked Tangle. 

What you see I am,” answered the 
shape. And I am come to lead you 
through the mountain.” 

Oh ! thank you, dear fish — aeranth I 
mean,” returned Tangle, rising. 

Thereupon the aeranth took to his wings, 
and flew on through the long narrow pas- 
sage, reminding Tangle very much of the 
way he had swum on before when he was 
a fish. And the moment his white wings 
moved, they began to throw off a contin- 


40 


THE GOLDEN KEY 


uous shower of sparks of all colours, which 
lighted up the passage before them. — All 
at once he vanished, and Tangle heard a 
low, sweet sound, quite different from the 
rush and crackle of his wings. Before 
her was an open arch, and through it 
came light, mixed with the sound of sea- 
waves. 

She hurried out, and fell, tired and 
happy, upon the yellow sand of the shore. 
There she lay, half asleep with weariness 
and rest, listening to the low plash and re- 
treat of the tiny waves, which seemed ever 
enticing the land to leave off being land, and 
become sea. And as she lay, her eyes 
were fixed upon the foot of a great rainbow 
standing far away against the sky on the 
other side of the sea. At length she fell 
fast asleep. 

When she awoke, she saw an old man 
with long white hair down to his shoulders, 
leaning upon a stick covered wdth green 
buds, and so bending over her. 


THE GOLDEN KEY 


41 


What do you want here, beautiful 
woman ? ” he said. 

Am I beautiful ? I am so glad ! ” an- 
swered Tangle, rising. My grandmother 
is beautiful. 

Yes. But what do you want ? '' he re- 
peated, kindly. 

I think I want you. Are not you the 
Old Man of the Sea? ” 

^aam.” 

Then grandmother says, have you any 
more fishes ready for her ? '' 

We will go and see, my dear,” answered 
the old man, speaking yet more kindly 
than before. ^^And I can do something 
for you, can I not ? ” 

Yes — show me the way up to the coun- 
try from which the shadows fall,” said 
Tangle. 

For there she hoped to find Mossy again. 
“ Ah ! indeed, that would be worth do- 
ing,” said the old man. ^^But I cannot, 
for I do not know the way myself. But I 


42 


THE GOLDEN KEY 


will send you to the Old Man of the Earth. 
Perhaps he can tell you. He is much 
older than I am.’' 

Leaning on his staff, he conducted her 
along the shore to a steep rock, that looked 
like a petrified ship turned upside down. 
The door of it was the rudder of a great 
vessel, ages ago at the bottom of the sea. 
Immediately within the door was a stair 
in the rock, down which the old man went, 
and Tangle followed. At the bottom the 
old man had his house, and there he lived. 

As soon as she entered it. Tangle heard 
a strange noise, unlike anything she had 
ever heard before. She soon found that it 
was the fishes talking. She tried to under- 
stand what they said ; but their speech was 
so old-fashioned, and rude, and undefined, 
that she could not make much of it. 

I will go and see about those fishes for 
my daughter,” said the Old Man of the Sea. 

And, moving a slide in the wall of his 
house, he first looked out, then tapped upon 


THE GOLDEN KEY 


43 


a thick piece of crystal that filled the round 
opening. Tangle came up behind him, and 
peeping through the window into the heart 
of the great deep green ocean, saw the most 
curious creatures, some very ugly, all very 
odd, and with especially queer mouths, swim- 
ming about everywhere, above and below, 
but all coming towards the window in an- 
swer to the tap of the Old Man of the Sea. 
Only a few could get their mouths against 
the glass ; but those who were floating miles 
away yet turned their heads towards it. 
The Old Man looked through the whole 
flock carefully for some minutes, and then 
turning to Tangle, said, — 

I am sorry I have not got one ready yet. 
I want more time than she does. But I 
will send some as soon as I can.’’ 

He then shut the slide. 

Presently a great noise arose in the sea. 
The Old Man opened the slide again, and 
tapped on the glass, whereupon the fishes 
were all as still as sleep. 


44 


THE GOLDEN KEY 


They were only talking about you,” he 
said. And they do speak such nonsense ! 
— To-morrow, ” he continued, I must 
show you the way to the Old Man of the 
Earth. He lives a long way from here.” 

Do let me go at once,” said Tangle. 

^^No. That is not possible. You must 
come this way first.” 

He led her to a hole in the wall, which 
she had not observed before. It was cov- 
ered with the green leaves and white blos- 
soms of a creeping plant. 

“ Only white blossoming plants can grow 
under the sea, ” said the Old Man. In 
there you will find a bath, in which you 
must lie till I call you.” 

Tangle went in, and found a smaller room 
or cave, in the further corner of which was 
a great basin hollowed out of a rock, and 
half-full of the clearest sea-water. Little 
streams were constantly running into it 
from cracks in the wall of the cavern. It 
was polished quite smooth inside, and had a 


THE GOLDEN KEY 


45 


carpet of yellow sand in the bottom of it. 
Large green leaves and white flowers of 
various plants crowded up and over it, 
draping and covering it almost entirely. 

No sooner was she undressed and lying in 
the bath, than she began to feel as if the 
water were sinking into her, and she were re- 
ceiving all the good of sleep without under- 
going its forgetfulness. She felt the good 
coming all the time. And she grew hap- 
pier and more hopeful than she had been 
since she lost Mossy. But she could not 
help thinking how very sad it was for a 
poor old man to live there alone, and have 
to take care of a whole seaful of stupid 
and riotous fishes. 

After about an hour, as she thought, 
she heard his voice calling her, and rose 
out of the bath. All the fatigue aud ach- 
ing of her long journey had vanished. 
She was as whole, and strong, and well as 
if she had slept for seven days. 

Beturning to the opening that led into 


46 


THE GOLDEN KEY 


the other part of the house, she started 
back with amazement, for through it she 
saw the form of a grand man, with a 
majestic and beautiful face, waiting for 
her. 

Come,” he said ; I see you are ready.” 

She entered with reverence. 

Where is the Old man of the Sea?” 
she asked, humbly. 

There is no one here but me,” he 
answered smiling. ^^Some people call me 
the Old Man of the Sea. Others have 
another name for me, and are terribly 
frightened when they meet me taking a 
walk by the shore. Therefore I avoid being 
seen by them, for they are so afraid, that 
they never see what I really am. You see 
me now. — But I must show you the way 
to the Old Man of the Earth.” 

He led her into the cave where the bath 
was, and there she saw, in the opposite 
corner, a second opening in the rock. 

Go down that stair, and it will bring 


THE GOLDEN KEY 


47 


you to him,” said the Old Man of the 
Sea. 

With humble thanks Tangle took her 
leave. She went down the winding-stair, 
till she began to fear there was no end 
to it. Still down and down it went, rough 
and broken, with springs of water burst- 
ing out of the rocks and running down the 
steps beside her. It was quite dark about 
her, and yet she could see. For, after 
being in that bath, people’s eyes always 
give out a light they can see by. There 
were no creeping things in the way. All 
was safe and pleasant, though so dark and 
damp and deep. 

At last there was not one step more, 
and she found herself in a glimmering 
cave. On a stone in the middle of it 
sat a figure with its back towards her — the 
figure of an old man bent double with age. 
From behind she could see his white beard 
spread out on the rocky fioor in front 
of him. He did not move as she entered. 


48 


THE GOLDEN KEY 


SO she passed round that she might stand be- 
fore him and speak to him. The moment 
she looked in his face, she saw that he was 
a youth of marvellous beauty. He sat en- 
tranced with the delight of what he beheld 
in a mirror of something like silver, which 
lay on the floor at his feet, and which from 
behind she had taken for his white beard. 
He sat on, heedless of her presence, pale 
with the joy of his vision. She stood and 
watched him. At length, all trembling, 
she spoke. But her voice made no sound. 
Yet the youth lifted up his head. He 
showed no surprise, however, at seeing 
her — only smiled a welcome. 

Are you the Old Man of the Earth ? '' 
Tangle had said. 

And the youth answered, and Tangle 
heard him, though not with her ears : — 

I am. What can I do for you ? 

Tell me the way to the country whence 
the shadows fall.” 

‘‘ Ah ! That I do not know. I only dream 


THE GOLDEN KEY 


49 


about it myself. I see its shadows some- 
times in my mirror : the way to it I do not 
know. But I think the Old Man of the 
Fire must know. He is much older than I 
am. He is the oldest man of all.” 

Where does he live ? ” 

I will show you the way to his place. 
I never saw him myself.” 

So saying, the young man rose, and then 
stood for a while gazing at Tangle. 

I wish I could see that country too,” he 
said. But I must mind my work.” 

He led her to the side of the cave, and 
told her to lay her ear against the wall. 

What do you hear ? ” he asked. 

I hear,” answered Tangle, the sound 
of a great water running inside the 
rock.” 

That river runs down to the dwelling 
of the oldest man of all — the Old Man of 
the Fire. I wish I could go to see him. 
But I must mind my work. That river is 
the only way to him.” 

D 


50 


THE GOLDEN KEY 


Then the Old Man of the Earth stooped 
over the floor of the cave, raised a huge 
stone from it, and left it leaning. It dis- 
closed a great hole that went plumb-down. 

That is the way,” he said. 

But there are no stairs.” 

You must throw yourself in. There is 
no other way.’’ 

She turned and looked him full in the 
face — stood so for a whole minute, as she 
thought : it was a whole year — then threw 
herself headlong into the hole. 

When she came to herself, she found her- 
self gliding down fast and deep. Her head 
was under water, but that did not signify, 
for, when she thought about it, she could 
not remember that she had breathed once 
since her bath in the cave of the Old Man 
of the Sea. When she lifted up her head 
a sudden and fierce heat struck her, and 
she sank it again instantly, and went 
sweeping on. 

Gradually the stream grew shallower. 


THE GOLDEN KEY 


51 


At length she could hardly keep her head 
under. Then the water could carry her 
on farther. She rose from the channel, 
and went step for step down the burning 
descent. The water ceased altogether. 
The heat was terrible. She felt scorched 
to the bone, but it did not touch her 
strength. It grew hotter and hotter. She 
said, ‘‘1 can bear it no longer.’' Yet 
she went on. 

At the long last, the stair ended at a 
rude archw^ay in an all but glowing rock. 
Through this archway Tangle fell ex- 
hausted into a cool mossy cave. The floor 
and walls were covered with moss — green, 
soft, and damp. A little stream spouted 
from a rent in a rock and fell into a basin 
of moss. She plunged her face into it and 
drank. Then she lifted her head and 
looked around. Then she rose and looked 
again. She saw no one in the cave. But 
the moment she stood upright she had a 
marvellous sense that she was in the secret 


52 


THE GOLDEN KEY 


of the earth and all its ways. Everything 
she had seen, or learned from books ; all 
that her grandmother had said or sung to 
her ; all the talk of the beasts, birds, and 
fishes ; all that had happened to her on 
her journey with Mossy, and since then in 
the heart of the earth with the Old Man 
and the Older Man — all was plain : she un- 
derstood it all, and saw that everything 
meant the same thing, though she could 
not have put it into words again. 

The next moment she descried, in a cor- 
ner of the cave, a little naked Child sitting 
on the moss. He was playing with balls of 
various colours and sizes, which he disposed 
in strange figures upon the floor beside 
him. And now Tangle felt that there was 
something in her knowledge which was 
not in her understanding. For she knew 
there must be an infinite meaning in the 
change and sequence and individual forms 
of the figures into which the child arranged 
the balls, as well as in the varied harmonies 


THE GOLDEN KEY 


53 


of their colours, but what it all meant she 
could not tell. He went on busily, tire- 
lessly, playing his solitary game, without 
looking up, or seeming to know that there 
was a stranger in his deep-withdrawn cell. 
Diligently as a lace-maker shifts her bob- 
bins, he shifted and arranged his balls. 
Flashes of meaning would now pass from 
them to Tangle, and now again all would 
be not merely obscure, but utterly dark. 
She stood looking for a long time, for there 
was fascination in the sight ; and the longer 
she looked, the more an indescribable vague 
intelligence went on rousing itself in her 
mind. For seven years she had stood there 
watching the naked Child with his coloured 
balls, and it seemed to her like seven hours, 
when all at once the shape the balls took, 
she knew not why, reminded her of the 
Valley of Shadows, and she spoke: — 

Where is the Old Man of the Fire ? ” 
she said. 

Here I am,” answered the Child, rising 


54 


THE GOLDEN KEY 


and leaving his balls on the moss. What 
can I do for you ? ” 

There was such an awfulness of absolute 
repose on the face of the Child that Tangle 
stood dumb before him. He had no smile, 
but the love in his large grey eyes was 
deep as the centre. And with the repose 
there lay on his face a shimmer as of 
moonlight, which seemed as if any mo- 
ment it might break into such a ravishing 
smile as would cause the beholder to weep 
himself to death. But the smile never 
came, and the moonlight lay there un- 
broken. For the heart of the Child was 
too deep for any smile to reach from it to 
his face. 

^^Are you the oldest man of all?” 
Tangle at length, although filled with awe, 
ventured to ask. 

Yes, I am. I am very, very old. I 
am able to help you, I know. I can help 
everybody.” 

And the Child drew near and looked 


THE GOLDEN KEY 


55 


up in her face so that she burst into 
tears. 

Can you tell me the way to the coun- 
try the shadows fall from ? ” she sobbed. 

Yes. I know the way quite well. I 
go there myself sometimes. But you could 
not go my way ; you are not old enough. 
I will show you how you can go.” 

^^Do not send me out into the great 
heat again/’ prayed Tangle. 

will not/’ answered the Child. 

And he reached up, and put his little 
cool hand on her heart. 

Now/’ he said, you can go. The fire 
will not burn you. Come.” 

He led her from the cave, and following 
him through another archway, she found 
herself in a vast desert of sand and rock. 
The sky of it was of rock, lowering over 
them like solid thunderclouds; and the 
whole place was so hot that she saw, in 
bright rivulets, the yellow gold and white 
silver and red copper trickling molten 


56 


THE GOLDEN KEY 


from the rocks. But the heat never came 
near her. 

When they had gone some distance, the 
Child turned up a great stone, and took 
something like an egg from under it. He 
next drew a long curved line in the sand 
with his finger, and laid the egg in it. 
He then spoke something Tangle could not 
understand. The egg broke, and a small 
snake came out, and, lying in the sand, 
grew and grew till he filled it. The moment 
he was thus full grown, he began to glide 
away, undulating like a sea-wave. 

Follow that serpent,” said the Child. 

He will lead you the right way.” 

Tangle followed the serpent. But she 
could not go far without looking back at 
the marvellous Child. He stood alone in 
the midst of the glowing desert, beside 
a fountain of red flame that had burst forth 
at his feet, his naked whiteness glimmering 
a pale rosy red in the torrid fire. There 
he stood, looking after her, till, from the 


THE GOLDEN KEY 


57 


lengthening distance, she could see him no 
more. The serpent went straight on, turn- 
ing neither to the right nor left. 

Meantime Mossy had got out of the lake 
of shadows, and, following his mournful, 
lonely way, had reached the sea-shore. It 
was a dark, stormy evening. The sun had 
set. The wind was blowing from the sea. 
The waves had surrounded the rock within 
which lay the Old Man’s House. A deep 
water rolled between it and the shore, upon 
which a majestic figure was walking alone. 

Mossy went up to him and said, — 

Will you tell me where to find the Old 
Man of the Sea ? ” 

I am the Old Man of the Sea,” the 
figure answered. 

see a strong kingly man of middle 
age,” returned Mossy. 

Then the Old Man looked at him more 
intently, and said, — 

Your sight, young man, is better than 


58 


THE GOLDEN KEY 


that of most who take this way. The night 
is stormy : come to my house and tell me 
what I can do for you.’' 

Mossy followed him. The waves flew 
from before the footsteps of the Old Man of 
the Sea, and Mossy followed upon dry sand. 

When they had reached the cave, they 
sat down and gazed at each other. 

Now Mossy was an old man by this time. 
He looked much older than the Old Man of 
the Sea, and his feet were very weary. 

After looking at him for a moment, the 
Old Man took him by the hand and led him 
into his inner cave. There he helped him 
to undress, and laid him in the bath. And 
he saw that one of his hands Mossy did not 
open. 

What have you in that hand ? ” he asked. 

Mossy opened his hand, and there lay 
the golden key. 

Ah ! ” said the Old Man, that accounts 
for your knowing me. And I know the 
way you have to go.” 


THE GOLDEN KEY 


59 


I want to find the country whence the 
shadows fall/’ said Mossy. 

I dare say you do. So do I. But 
meantime, one thing is certain. — What is 
that key for, do you think ? ” 

For a keyhole somewhere. But I don’t 
know why I keep it. I never could find 
the keyhole. And T have lived a good 
while, I believe,” said Mossy, sadly. I ’m 
not sure that I’m not old. I know my 
feet ache.” 

Do they ? ” said the Old Man, as if he 
really meant to ask the question ; and 
Mossy, who was still lying in the bath, 
watched his feet for a moment before he 
replied. 

No, they do not,” he answered. Per- 
haps I am not old either.” 

Get up and look at yourself in the 
water.” 

He rose and looked at himself in the 
water, and there was not a grey hair on 
his head or a wrinkle on his skin. 


60 


THE GOLDEN KEY 


‘‘ You have tasted of death now/’ said 
the Old Man. ^^Is it good?” 

It is good/’ said Mossy. “ It is better 
than life.” 

No/’ said the Old Man : it is only 
more life. — Your feet will make no holes 
in the water now.” 

What do you mean ? ” 

I will show you that presently.” 

They returned to the outer cave, and 
sat and talked together for a long time. 
At length the Old Man of the Sea rose, 
and said to Mossy, — 

Follow me.” 

He led him up the stair again, and 
opened another door. They stood on the 
level of the raging sea, looking towards 
the east. Across the waste of waters, 
against the bosom of a fierce black cloud, 
stood the foot of a rainbow, glowing in the 
dark. 

This indeed is my way,” said Mossy, as 
soon as he saw the rainbow, and stepped 


THE GOLDEN KEY 


61 


out upon the sea. His feet made no holes 
in the water. He fought the wind, and 
clomb the waves, and went on towards the 
rainbow. 

The storm died away. A lovely day 
and a lovelier night followed. A cool 
wind blew over the wide plain of the quiet 
ocean. And still Mossy journeyed east- 
ward. But the rainbow had vanished with 
the storm. 

Day after day he held on, and he thought 
he had no guide. He did not see how 
a shining fish under the waters directed 
his steps. He crossed the sea, and came to 
a great precipice of rock, up which he 
could discover but one path. Nor did this 
lead him farther than half-way up the 
rock, where it ended on a platform. Here 
he stood and pondered. — It could not be 
that the way stopped here, else what was 
the path for? It was a rough path, not 
very plain, yet certainly a path. — He ex- 
amined the face of the rock. It was smooth 


62 


THE GOLDEN KEY 


as glass. But as his eyes kept roving 
hopelessly over it, something glittered, and 
he caught sight of a row of small sap- 
phires. They bordered a little hole in the 
rock. 

The keyhole ! ” he cried. 

He tried the key. It fitted. It turned. 
A great clang and clash, as of iron bolts on 
huge brazen caldrons, echoed thunderously 
within. He drew out the key. The rock 
in front of him began to fall. He re- 
treated from it as far as the breadth of 
the platform would allow. A great slab 
fell at his feet. In front was still the solid 
rock, with this one slab fallen forward out 
of it. But the moment he stepped upon it, 
a second fell, just short of the edge of the 
first, making the next step of a stair, 
which thus kept dropping itself before him 
as he ascended into the heart of the 
precipice. It let him into a hall fit for such 
an approach — irregular and rude in forma- 
tion, but fioor, sides, pillars, and vaulted 


THE GOLDEN KEY 


63 


roof, all of one mass of shining stones of 
every color that light can show. In the 
centre stood seven columns, ranged from 
red to violet. And on the pedestal of one 
of them sat a woman, motionless, with her 
face bowed upon her knees. Seven years 
had she sat there waiting. She lifted her 
head as Mossy drew near. It was Tangle. 
Her hair had grown to her feet, and was 
rippled like the windless sea on broad 
sands. Her face was beautiful, like her 
grandmother’s, and as still and peaceful as 
that of the Old Man of the Fire. Her 
form was tall and noble. Yet Mossy knew 
her at once. 

How beautiful you are. Tangle ! ” he 
said, in delight and astonishment. 

Am I ? ” she returned. Oh, I have 
waited for you so long ! But you, you are 
like the Old Man of the Sea. No. You 
are like the Old Man of the Earth. No, 
no. You are like the oldest man of all. 
You are like them all. And yet you are 


64 


THE GOLDEN KEY 


my own old Mossy. How did you come 
here ? What did you do after I lost you ? 
Did you find the keyhole ? Have you got 
the key still ? ’’ 

She had a hundred questions to ask him, 
and he a hundred more to ask her. They 
told each other all their adventures, and 
were as happy as man and woman could 
be. For they were younger and better, 
and stronger and wiser, than they had ever 
been before. 

It began to grow dark. And they 
wanted more than ever to reach the country 
whence the shadows fall. So they looked 
about them for a way out of the cave. 
The door by which Mossy entered had 
closed again, and there was half a mile of 
rock between them and the sea. Neither 
could Tangle find the opening in the floor 
by which the serpent had led her thither. 
They searched till it grew so dark that 
they could see nothing, and gave it up. 

After a while, however, the cage began to 


THE GOLDEN KEY 


65 


glimmer again. The light came from the 
moon, but it did not look like moonlight, 
for it gleamed through those seven pillars 
in the middle, and filled the place with all 
colours. And now Mossy saw that there 
was a pillar beside the red one, which he 
had not observed before. And it was of the 
same new colour that he had seen in the 
rainbow when he saw it first in the fairy 
forest. And on it he saw a sparkle of 
blue. It was the sapphires round the key- 
hole. 

He took his key. It turned in the 
lock to the sounds of ^olian music. A 
door opened upon slow hinges, and dis- 
closed a winding stair within. The key 
vanished from his fingers. Tangle went 
up. Mossy followed. The door closed be- 
hind them. They climbed out of the 
earth ; and, still climbing, rose above it. 
They were in the rainbow. Far abroad, 
over ocean and land, they could see 
through its transparent walls the earth 
E 


66 


THE GOLDEN KEY 


beneath their feet. Stairs beside stairs 
wound up together, and beautiful beings of 
all ages climbed along with them. 

They knew that they were going up to 
the country whence the shadows fall. 

And by this time I think they must have 
got there. 






■ 

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